Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-05

Much tonterenee-ifOttertf edus w mere
Matthews Was Deemed Unworthy-A
Fast Mail to Texas-Oficial Items.
WASHINGTON CITY, March THE closing
night session of the house of representatives
was about as uninteresting AMI tedious as
can be imagined. There was no quorum
present most of the time and those that were
in the chamber were disposed in the easiest
positions, BALI asleep and all asleep, and pay
ing but little attention TO business A lew
wide awake and tireless fellows whilei away
the time by playing boyish pranks and one
of the features was the attempt Of Ward of
Indiana 10 get vote on the veto of the bill
for a public building at Lafayette, Ind.
Springer had objected that there was no
quorum present, and Ward and Springer
We're appointed teiiers. This was about 4 a.
n, and half bour before final ad journment
Ward still held his place as teller. Neg!ey
Of Pennsylvania had taken the place of
Springer as the other teller, and the count
ing was nominally going on for eight hours,
though really the teliers merely stood facing
each other and would have been forgotten
but that Ward called out at intervals of ten
or hfteCn minutes; One more in the affirm
alive Members did not care to vote, and
Ward would not withdraw, but good natured-
~ permitted a great deal of other business
foreign to The Lafayette bill to be transacted,
and allowed any body who chose TO ask unan-
iInous consent and pass his bill if he could.
The closing scenes Of the senate were
| mildly amusing, but not eventful Old Capt
Bassett of course planted a chair near the
| clock preparatory to turning the clock back
ward if necessary, and be performed his an
nual task amid much laughter when the
hands of the clock Indicated Has.
The president and most of the members OF
| his cabinet remained at the White House
considering legislative matters until about
O'Clock in the morning. They reassem-
| lied in the cabinet-room again at O'Clock
| All the departments were represented, Mr.,
| Fairchild appearing for the treasury depart
ment. Between 5 and 1879 o'clock the pres
tlent had acted On all the bills received by
him up to the latter hour. He then repaired
70 the capitol upon assurances from Speaker
| Carlisle that the District of Columbia bill
| and the general deficiency bill would GER
| tainly fail 10 become laws unless he did So
| The president acted on all the ! ills at the
/ capitol that be was able to in the short
time allotted him before adjournment
| With reference 10 the condition of business
at adjournment, IL may be said that the
! Forty alnth congress is the first one that has
| failed to pass any sort of fertilization bill,
| even one to enable the ordnance officers TO
keep the existing forts in repair.
| Congressman and senators took good care
| that the bill that provides their salaries
| should not fail. cut they allow the general
| deficiency bill, which i'll general represents
| what the government owes in floating ac-
counts, to fall through The house adopted
| the conference report although the report
was not prepared, but the senators were not
| equally anxious to pass the bill after it had
| been fixed to suit the house cUuferrees, and
| It was not even offered the senate in an in
| complete condition, AMI the hour OF noon ar
rivei before The document was completed by
| the clerks All Judgments given creditors
OF the United States by the court of
claims and the accounting officers OF
| the treasury and by the other courts in
| the Eek and Wisconsin river cases, and sums
appropriated to pay for services TO the gov
eminent in previous years for which the APP
preparation was insufficient, 90 over until
another year. The court or claims has given
| a few judgments against the United States
m the French spoiiation csses, but these got
left The highest courts in the country
have affirmed the right of railroads not
| aldei by the government. but leased to roads
| that were aided, 10 full pay for the services
| they rendered the government, but these, too
must wait. The senate. without dissenting
| voice, adopted Cuilom's motion 10 vote Mrs
Logan one years salary. but that. of course,
falls with the bill The bill PRO DIVIDED for a
number Of judgments in revenue cases where
interest runs against the government frocl
the time Of Judgment till the time of pay
uisnt, so that tins will lHrsely increase the
cost to the government
Owing to the failure of the deficiency bill
the recent act Of congress extending the,
tree-deiivery system to cities and towns hav-
| ing not less than 1000 inhabitants or a
postal revenue of net less than $4,000 be-
comes imperative until the beginning Of the
| next fiscal year. when the regular appropria
ton goes into effect. TIE effect of the fail
| ure OF the bill viii be more serious than Is
generally believed, inasmuch as it contained
| provisions for supplying pressing demands
Tor poStai-cards, stamps, and other items
/ connected with the postal service, the denial
NJ which will, It Is expected, seriously EN-
tarrass the department and the public The
| legal machinery Of the government viii also
lie materially dlsarranged during the re-
mainder OF the fiscal year, as no money will
Be available for jurors, witnesses, or mar
shals' fees, and many prisoners-notably
those confined at Fort Smith, Ark-cau not
tie tried for months to come
The rivers and harbors, Heanepn canal
! and all, will enjoy no irrigation from the
treasury this year The president told a
! senator that he had speat three hours porting
over the bill, ard had reached the conclu
SION that 1t ought not to become a law. but
De had no time to veto t, So he let it fail for
want Of bis signature Tue mail steamship
subside business Is deal agsiD, ami pleur0-
pneumonia remains about where it IS nov.
except that Commissioner Colman has more
money to use than h. had last year Mr..
| Colman 11ll not step into the cabinet at
once -
Many regrets are expressed by members
o, congress that the river and hafbor appro.
priatious for the next fiscal year were not
/ approved by the president but it is admitted
that there Is a considerable amount of nIone;
GA hand to preserve and continue improve
ments until congress shall have a chance to
vote more money for that purpose.
CONGRESSIONAL CLOSING HOURS.
Sleepy Senators and Representatives
Worry Through TO Adjournment.